Since anything I’ve made this year could fall under the prompt “Pattern,” it was hard to narrow down my subject.

Every so often I go have a pedicure. I almost never have a manicure because my hands are tools, and I’m pretty hard on them. A manicure doesn’t usually last for more than a day, so it’s not cost effective. If I do break down and have a manicure, it’s usually for some special occasion like the opening of the Pixeladies exhibition with our friend Susan Else. I figured I’d be shaking some hands.

What does this have to do with pattern? Well, most nail salons in my area are staffed by Vietnamese American, and  this particular visit happened to coincide with the start of the lunar new year, or Tết. Tết is an important holiday. Families gather together dressed in their finest attire. It’s also a tradition to do a thorough house cleaning before Tết.  It’s a way of sweeping away the old year and making way for the new. This tradition carried over to the shop. It was decorated with yellow chrysanthemums, red money envelopes, and the nail polish bottles were stocked and reorganized. It was just beautiful. The repetition of the bottle shapes really caught my attention. I had found my subject.

I used this opportunity to order every shade of red, pink, and coral of my favorite fabric from my favorite vendor. I think there were 41 colors that I didn’t already have.

Then I had fun creating stylized bottle shapes.

I decided since I was already piecing the bottles, I’d piece my signature, too.

Hope this piece makes you smile.

Wall of Polish
Deb Cashatt
Dimensions: 40″ h x 32.5″ w
Material: Commercial cotton
Technique: Machine pieced, machine quilted